A sprint car driver remains in a serious but stable condition following a crash at Ruapuna Speedway last night.

The incident occurred during the first Sprintcar heat race when fuel ignited following the crash.

A police spokesman said at about 7pm, emergency services were called to an event on Hasketts Road, Templeton, following a single-vehicle crash.

In a statement released on Sunday night, Ruapuna Speedway president Rob Roxburgh said “Last night at Ruapuna Speedway, a serious incident occurred during the first Sprintcar heat race.

The driver involved in this accident has suffered burns from fuel igniting during the crash.”

“The competitor underwent surgery last night and is now en route to Auckland’s Middlemore Hospital for the best possible care” Roxburgh said.

“He remains in serious but stable condition.

“His family would like to express their heartfelt thanks for the support and kind words from friends and the speedway community. They kindly ask for privacy during this time as they focus on his recovery.”

“We have initiated a full investigation into this freak accident to gain a better understanding of what happened.

Our thoughts remain with the driver and his family, and we are providing support where possible.”

The speedway also encouraged those who may have been affected by the incident to seek support.

“If anyone is struggling with the events they witnessed, we encourage them to seek help and continue talking to those who can offer support.

Please remember, this was an abnormal accident and not typical of Speedway racing” the statement read.